Meet a Member of Our First Doula Cohort

Mercedes first heard about doulas at the EMBRACe retreat in April and attended several of our Spanish language childbirth education classes (even though she now has grown children). She is now a member of our first doula cohort!

Mercedes, a member of EMBRACe’s first doula cohort.

She shared some reflections on her journey so far: “After having attended Childbirth Education Classes done by EMBRACe, I realized how little I knew about labor and birth even if I had already grown children and had been a mother for many years. My lack of knowledge motivated me to want to know more. To see many women united for one common purpose that was the well being of mothers encouraged me to appreciate the process and transformations our bodies go through to create life. It helped me to remember that it is not only physical health but also our mental wellness that we should and could help with. Later on, I had the opportunity to attend [the conference] with Roots4Change where I learned the importance of: 

• Family (cousins, grandparents, uncles) during and after pregnancy. 

• Women's self empowerment to decide over their own delivery.

• The importance to continue to transmit our ancestors knowledges and suggestions

• The importance and role of a Doula in knowing that you have someone to trust and guide you but that at the end the ultimate decision belongs to the mother.

• The importance of knowing that Doulas are always in the search to better themselves in every aspect to be able to serve and support the future mothers to be.”